The invention relates to a method for the continuous cleaning of a honing tool during the operation of a honing machine. The honing tool rests on a rotating workpiece and executes swinging motions parallel to the rotational axis of the workpiece. During the grinding operation, a flushing liquid is applied to the area of contact between the tool and the workpiece. The invention further relates to an apparatus for carrying out the above method.
Such methods and apparatus are known, but they have the disadvantage that the working surface of the honing tool, i.e. that surface which makes contact with a workpiece, supported, for example, without centers on transport rollers, is clogged relatively rapidly with microscopically small fragments from the honing tool and from the workpiece. On the other hand, due to this clogging, any dulled grains of the honing tool can no longer break out of the binder material resulting in a relatively rapid dulling of the entire honing tool. On the other hand, even very minor causes, for example the slight shock due to the passage of edges of sequential workpieces under the honing tool, or a temporary loss of contact of the honing tool from the workpiece will often result in unpredictable, effective resharpening of the honing tool. This variation may result in different material removal rates from one workpiece to the next and thus to a widening of the tolerance limits of the process. Even when relatively large volumes of flushing liquid are used, this disadvantage is not cured, because the relatively large contact surface between the honing tool and the workpiece usually prevents the flushing liquid from reaching all areas of contact in sufficient quantities and with a sufficient intensity so as to remove clogged material everywhere.